News

illy's Push Button House at the Seattle International Film Festival

May 30, 2009

PS Pictures brings a work of living art, illy’s Push Button House, to the film screen. On May 30, 2009, Push Button House, a behind-the-scenes film chronicling a creation by artist/architect Adam Kalkin, will be introduced at the 2009 Seattle International Film Festival.  Illy commissioned the piece by Kalkin, who has received critical acclaim for his sustainable and intriguing designs. Originally unveiled at the 52nd Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition in June 2007, illy’s Push Button House is a fully functional and sustainable home built within a standard industrial shipping container that takes approximately  90 seconds to open. 

This documentary by PS Pictures, which won the “Best Editing” award at the FirstGlance Hollywood International Film Festival and has been accepted into over 14 internationally acclaimed festivals including Seattle International Film Festival, AFI Dallas, St Louis International Film Festival and Florida Film Festival, captures Kalkin’s desire to utilize the creative for practical purposes. The metamorphosis of a standard shipping container conveys Kalkin’s idea of sustainable housing and also represents illy’s continued commitment to the arts, innovation, and sustainability. Additionally, Kalkin’s ability to customize each Push Button House further emphasizes that this modern concept for a home is suitable in a variety of circumstances. Directed by Robert Profusek and Ryan Silbert, the film offers first-person observations along with Kalkin’s own words to shed light on an artist/architect who defies anything traditional. Push Button House serves as the backdrop to Kalkin’s visionary creation, highlighting Kalkin’s creative process and his ability to transform his creative energy into innovative works.  “The process of creating a piece of art is an incredibly collaborative experience and as a brand, we felt it was important to use film as a way to preserve the story of the development of Push Button House,” noted Myra Fiori, illy’s Vice President of Public Relations. 

Illy, a company that has always been at the industry’s forefront in innovation, quality and design, worked with Kalkin to bring these values to life. Beginning in the 1990s illy began collaborating with the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists to design their iconic espresso cups and machines. Since then, illy expanded its artistic collaborations to include traveling art installations and commissioned exhibitions, such as the illy Push Button House.
Both pragmatic and environmentally friendly, illy Push Button House is created from recycled and recyclable materials and embodies illy’s message of sustainability and its connection to beauty through art and design. Illy believes that the pleasure of coffee consumption should extend beyond taste; every facet of the experience should be aesthetically pleasing to the senses and heighten the enjoyment of others. Profusek and Silbert beautifully capture the essence of Kalkin’s vision while also expressing illy’s mission that drinking coffee is a unique and artful experience.